Grantham court: Heroin-user drove friend’s car

A Grantham man was found to be driving with traces of heroin in his system, and also didn’t have a licence or insurance.

Christopher Drew, 39, of Uplands Drive, Grantham, pleaded guilty to driving whilst unfit through drugs and to these two other driving offences on June 11.

At about 1.10pm police pulled over a Citroen MV on North Street, Grantham, because it flagged up as being uninsured.

On speaking to the driver, Drew, they noticed that he had ‘pin-point pupils and a pale and sweaty complexion’, said prosecutor Daniel Pietryka.

When he failed a field impairment test he was taken to the police station and they attempted to take a blood test. Unable to find a suitable vein, they then took a sample of urine in which traces of heroin were identified.

Defending Drew, Sonia Bhalla said that he had battled with heroin addiction since the age of 17, and also suffered from depression and deep vein thrombosis.

According to her client he had taken heroin three days prior to this incident, and had thought he was in a fit state to drive, although he acknowledged his lack of insurance or a licence.

The car was a friend’s which he had asked to use, and Miss Bhalla added that he had not been stopped because of any bad driving, but because he had no insurance.

Drew’s licence was a provisional one which had expired and he had never got renewed.

For driving whilst unfit through drugs, he was disqualified from driving for 12 months. He was also fined £110, which he must pay along with a £150 criminal court charge and a £20 victim surcharge. No prosecution costs were awarded, and his licence was endorsed with six points.